As Halloween comes closer, activities like exploring haunted places, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films have naturally increased. And, on Monday, people will cast aside their everyday identities and don temporary -- and scarier -- ones.

Most people are looking for costumes that are both easy to create and fun to wear. Some will settle for comical costumes, while others will pay homage to pop culture. Still others will opt for scary costumes.

Costume ideas, from animal attacks to characters from Hollywood films, are usually classics, and they should include as much detail as possible.

Halloween is the only holiday imbued a bit by the dark side. Some people embrace the dark side through terrifying costumes, scary makeup, and horrifying effects, while others do it via outfits marked not by their ghoulish nature but by their revelations of the horror behind innocence and trust.

Here are the top scary costume ideas for this Halloween.

Scary Halloween Costumes
A man dressed as a character from the movie "Hellraiser" takes part in the "Halloween Party 2010" in Bogota, on October 29, 2010. Reuters
Scary Halloween Costumes
Haunt actor Gus Maurer performs at the Spooky Ranch in Columbia Station, Ohio, in this handout picture taken in October 2010. A stalled economy hasn't spooked Americans from enjoying Halloween. Nearly three-quarter of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate but will spend less this year on costumes and candy. Reuters
Scary Halloween Costumes
A boy models his monster costume during the kids costume competition at the "Scaredy Cats and Dogs" Halloween fund-raising event at a mall in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on October 23, 2011. Some 100 pets participated in the event to raise funds for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Animal Rehabilitation Center, a temporary shelter for more than 100 dogs and cats which were either abandoned or rescued from cruelty or neglect. Reuters
2011 in Review Top 10 Halloween Costumes of the Year PHOTOS
A girl models her costume during the kids costume competition at the "Scaredy Cats and Dogs" Halloween fund-raising event at a mall in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on October 23, 2011. Reuters
Scary Halloween Costumes
A costumed girl stands next to lit-up pumpkins, commonly known as "Jack-o-Lanterns" during a Halloween party at a park in central Sofia, on October 31, 2010. Reuters
Scary Halloween Costumes
A man wearing a costume takes part in a Halloween night parade in San Jose, on October 31, 2010. Reuters
Scary Halloween Costumes
An actor from the "13 Gate: Necropolis Haunted House Event" performs in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in this handout picture taken in September 2011. A stalled economy hasn't spooked Americans from enjoying Halloween. Nearly three-quarter of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate but will spend less this year on costumes and candy. Reuters
Hollywood Halloween Hollywood